We know not all Thanksgiving dinners need to be meat-a-paloozas. So on this latest episode of Good Gravy!, we solicited the gravy advice of one of Chicago’s most notable vegans.

Kat Barry is one of the cookbook authors behind the city’s beloved vegetarian restaurant, The Chicago Diner—meat free, as they say, since 1983.

Barry’s recipes utilizes finely ground cornmeal and unsweetened almond milk to replicate the rich, silky texture of gravy, as well as a host of Thanksgiving-tasting spices to make any dish you add this gravy to taste like the holidays.

Heat a large, deep skillet on medium-high heat. Add the oil and then the diced onion. Saute until onions are translucent. Add the cornmeal and slowly pour in the vegetable stock, whisking constantly. Add in the almond milk—you don’t need to use the full 1 1/2 cup, just until it achieves the thickness and creaminess you like. (Be sure to not use the sweetened or vanilla-flavored almond milk!) Then add in the seasonings, continue whisking, and let simmer until desired consistency is reached.